Morning Report for September 27, 2013

Tribune Co. confirms it’s started a budget review process, but says a report that CEO Peter Liguori has ordered $100 million in cuts is incorrect. “No targets for expense reduction have been issued,” says spokesman Gary Weitman. “We’re in the process, as we are every year at this time, of looking at the budgets for all of our businesses. Everything is on the table. We’re looking at how to put our publishing businesses on the best possible footing for the long term.”
* Tribune newspapers prepare for cost-cutting (latimes.com)
* Tribune boss orders $100 million in cuts (robertfeder.com)

Also this morning:
* Star-Ledger reaches a tentative deal with its unions and avoids a shutdown. (nj.com) | Earlier: Star-Ledger publisher again threatens to close the paper. (jimromenesko.com)
* Dean Starkman: Bonuses for newspaper company execs are not only irresponsible, they’re a strategic mistake. (golocalprov.com)
* A Baltimore City Paper reporter testifies against a man he’s covered for seven years. “I was very surprised to get a call from a federal prosecutor and not at all happy about it,” says Edward Ericson Jr. (baltimoresun.com)
* Seymour Hersh: “Get rid of 90 percent of the editors that now exist.” (theguardian.com)
* Texas Tribune expects to bring in $1.2 million this year from conferences and events – up from $800,000 in 2012. (niemanlab.org)
* CNN: Newt Gingrich isn’t violating network rules by failing to disclose his PAC’s financial relationship with politicians discussed on “Crossfire.” (mediamatters.org)
* New York Times Co. projects a 3 percent decline in print and digital advertising revenue in Q3, but says overall revenue will be up because of stronger circulation. (wsj.com)
* The NSA listened in on Washington Post humor columnist Art Buchwald. (washingtonpost.com)
* Toledo Blade parent sues to get the names of Toledo Free Press investors. (toledofreepress.com)
* “It’s either mad or genius to start a print publication in 2013.” (wsj.com)
* Long-form sports journalism is hot, says an SB Nation editor. (shermanreport.com)